ng to gain poor Amy's affections in the
midst of such a course--'

'Ay, ay!' cried Mr. Edmonstone, now fully provoked; 'there is the
monstrous part. He thought I was going to give up my poor little girl to
a gambler, did he? but he shall soon see what I think of him,--riches,
Redclyffe, title, and all!'

'I knew that would be your feeling.'

'Feel! Yes; and he shall feel it, too. So, Sir Guy, you thought you had
an old fool of a guardian, did you, whom you could blind as you pleased?
but you shall soon see the difference!'

'Better begin cautiously,' suggested Philip. 'Remember his unfortunate
temper, and write coolly.'

'Coolly? You may talk of coolness; but 'tis enough to make one's
blood boil to be served in such a way. With the face to be sending her
messages in the very same letter! That is a pass beyond me, to stand
coolly to see my daughter so treated.'

'I would only give him the opportunity of saying what he can for
himself. He may have some explanation.'

'I'll admit of no explanation! Passing himself off for steadiness
itself; daring to think of my daughter, and all the time going on in
this fashion! I hate underhand ways! I'll have no explanation. He may
give up all thoughts of her. I'll write and tell him so before I'm a day
older; nay, before I stir from this room. My little Amy, indeed!'

Philip put no obstacles in the way of this proposal, for he knew that
his uncle's displeasure, though hot at first, was apt to evaporate
in exclamations; and he thought it likely that his good nature, his
partiality for his ward, his dislike to causing pain to his daughter,
and, above all, his wife's blind confidence in Guy, would, when once at
home, so overpower his present indignation as to prevent the salutary
strictness which was the only hope of reclaiming Guy. Beside, a letter
written under Philip's inspection was likely to be more guarded, as well
as more forcible, than an unassisted composition of his own, as was,
indeed, pretty well proved by the commencement of his first attempt.

'My dear Guy,--I am more surprised than I could have expected at your
application.'

Philip read this aloud, so as to mark its absurdity, and he began again.

'I am greatly astonished, as well as concerned, at your application,
which confirms the unpleasant reports--'

'Why say anything of reports?' said Philip. 'Reports are nothing. A man
is not forced to defend himself from reports.'

'Yes,--hum--ha,--the accounts I